APPALLING scenes of vandalism and violence greeted charity workers at their wrecked offices.

Hard working Age Concern Tameside volunteers and staff turned up on Monday to find their Bentinck Street offices, in Ashton, completely wrecked by marauding thugs.

The yobs had set off fire extinguishers, smashed up furniture, computers and phones and stolen two mini buses, crashing one into a bridge in Oldham and leaving the other wrecked and without wheels at Portland Basin.

They even slashed tyres on wheelchairs the charity hires out to disabled old folk, opened up tins of food and ground it into carpets, ripped out wiring and daubed Age Concern T-shirts with red liquid - almost as if it was meant to resemble blood, said one shaken volunteer.

As helpers attempted to clear up the chaos, directors' secretary Rachel Carter said everyone was at a loss to understand why they'd been targeted in such a horrific way.

"The people who did this are completely senseless," she told us.

"It's unforgivable, we are a charity and rely very heavily on every penny we get. This will cost us thousands and it won't just affect us but the elderly people who use our service.

"We're hoping someone out there will be able to ease this burden that's been thrust upon us."

Rachel said if the attack had happened just two days later they'd have already been safely ensconced in their new, more secure premises in the Unison building in nearby Katherine Street.

"That's what gets us, we were just days from totally moving out of here and this happens," added a despondent Rachel.

"We're doing our best to keep the service up and running because hundreds of elderly people rely on us to get out of their homes."

After the loss of two of their three mini buses - bought for around £27,000 each - they're appealing to anyone who may be able to provide replacement transport to get in touch.

Their only requirement is that vehicles have a tail lift for wheelchairs.

Anyone who can help in anyway should call directors Jean Hurlston and Joyce Howarth on 0161 308 5000.

The attack was carried out between 5pm on Friday and 9am on Sunday. Anyone with information should contact Ashton police on 0161 872 5050.